This summer, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge captured the hearts of Americans, raising more than $112 million to find a cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig’s disease, which affects the brain and spinal cord.
It’s also captured the imagination of Assurant employees, who actively support health and wellness initiatives and other key causes.
Assurant CEO Rob Pollock and other executives took the ice bucket challenge to help raise funds and awareness for ALS.
In the spirit of "FUNdraising," Assurant executives accepted the Ice Bucket Challenge, which requires that a person either donate to the ALS Association, be doused with a bucket of ice water -- or be a good sport and do both. They then nominate three more people to take the challenge.
The Assurant Foundation is donating $25,000 to the ALS Association. After promising $500 for every senior executive who participated by Sept. 4, the leaders stepped up and fully met the challenge.
“We know how important volunteering is to our employees and the communities in which we live and work,” said Shawn Kahle, executive director of the Assurant Foundation. “The Ice bucket Challenge is a unique way to support a worthy cause, and just one of the ways we support our employees’ donations of time and money. Each year, they receive eight hours of paid time off to volunteer in addition to a matching gift program, an annual United Way campaign and other special volunteer opportunities.”
Assurant Employee Benefits’ John Roberts, the first CEO to be soaked, challenged other leaders to come clean, and Adam Lamnin and others at Assurant Health quickly responded. Soon afterward, Gene Mergelmeyer of Specialty Property, Assurant’s Chris Pagano and members of Assurant Solutions’ Miami office all were sporting the wet look.
Employees who write checks to support the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge are making their dollars go further with the Assurant Employee Matching Gifts program.